Communication satellites use high power amplifiers that are used to increase the power of received signals. Typically, communication satellites have high power amplifiers that are grouped together in redundancy rings. Each high power amplifier within the ring has the same operating frequency, bandwidth, and output power. For example, on one of Boeing's commercial satellites, there are forty 32 Ku-Band 120 W traveling wave tube amplifiers, 24 C-Band 40 W traveling wave tube amplifiers, and 38 90 W Ka-Band traveling wave tube amplifiers. Each high power amplifier must be able to meet the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) requirements of the adjacent high power amplifiers within the redundancy ring. However, not all of the high power amplifiers have the identical EIRP requirements. Therefore, extra power is provided to high power amplifiers that have lower EIRP requirements. This is not very power efficient. Reducing the amount of power consumed by a satellite is a goal for satellite producers. Reducing the amount of power consumed by the various components allows additional transponders to be placed upon the satellite to generate additional revenue or allows the power system of the satellite to be reduced.
It would therefore be desirable to reduce the amount of power consumed by high power amplifier circuit systems.